Marceline Inside Out
by Gallifrey101
Summary: Marceline has a long, winding history, and after an upsetting night, each memory she's buried over the years will resurface. Rated Teen for safety.
1. Four Years of Ash

**Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time. If I did, it would be a lot weirder and horribly depressing than it is and only lonely people on steroids would watch it. **

Marceline sat on the tattered red love seat, the one Ash and her had spotted among the wreckage years ago. It was faded now. Old and raggedy. It was a constant reminder that no matter how much time passed, she would stay the same as she was, where as everything around her got older and older, until it was nothing. She sighed, wondering if anything would ever stay with her.

Then again, she had Hambo. She smiled to herself. She would always have Hambo. And Ash was there too. He might have been rude, selfish, and inconsiderate, but he was her only living companion. He'd been with her for a few years and although he was demanding and obnoxious, he hadn't left her alone as so many had. And, she supposed, that was good enough for now.

"Hey." His voice rang through her ears and she squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing the bile that leapt to her throat. She kept reminding herself that Ash had stayed with her for all these years and she should be grateful - but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wished she didn't feel so much hatred for him, even if he had spent all _her_ money on magic and ordered her around like a maid. He had still been there. Wasn't that enough? "Open your eyes, look at this Mar-Mar, check it out."

She obliged with a sigh, pushing herself up from the chair and floating over to him reluctantly. She planted her feet on the ground and cocked an eyebrow, silently asking him what he wanted her for.

"It's my new wand," he explained. "These cherry blossoms? Look, look, as close as you can and they're real."

She reached her hand out to touch the flowers, but they zapped her finger before she could get too close. She snapped her hand back and rubbed her finger, trying not to show the hurt on her face. "Wow. Awesome. Where'd you get the money for that thing?" Hadn't he spent all their money on magic already?

"Oh, I sold that teddy bear that you love so much. To a witch," he replied nonchalantly.

She blinked. He - had sold - Hambo? He wouldn't have. Not even Ash could be so inconsiderate. This had to be some kind of joke.

But as she looked at his happy features and back at the wand in his hand, she realized he was dead serious. She clenched her fists as all the anger that had built up over the years consumed her. "You WHAT!?" she exclaimed. "Are you crazy!? That was my favourite thing in the whole world!"

"That's why it's so valuable, genius. For potions," Ash pointed out, looking at her like she was some moronic little kid. He pointed his finger to the wand, causing a ghost-like creature to waft out of one of the blossoms. It started shifting back and forth, right and left, as it taunted her.

"You're not - a genius. You're not - a genius," it chanted.

Marceline's fist tightened as she looked at her boyfriend in shock. Had she really spent the last four years with a guy who would betray her? How could she not have seen that he was just like everyone else? "That's the last straw, Ash, that's it!" she screamed. Tears dribbled out of her eyes and she tried to wipe them away. Oh, Glob. Hambo was gone. "You're a psycho jerk and you ruined my life!"

Ash looked shocked and appalled. "But - but not all of it!"

Her eyes narrowed into red slits and she couldn't help the hiss that escaped from her throat. "IT'S OVER, YOU PSYCHO!" She stomped away and into their bedroom, quickly gathering up every possession she owned. Which, she noted, no longer included Hambo.

She heard Ash sigh from the living room. "Come on, Mar-Mar. Don't be like this." She ignored him, stuffing all her clothes and journals into a suitcase. "You're not gonna leave me over some stupid bear, are you?"

That did it. She angrily threw the suitcase across the room, whipping around to face her now ex-boyfriend. "Some stupid bear!? Hambo was my only friend, Ash! You know who gave him to me!"

He sighed, leaning against the doorframe in exasperation. "Yeah, yeah, your old friend Sam who abandoned you. Look, Mar-Mar, this is way more important. Look what I can do now!" He wiggled his fingers, making an image of Hambo appear between his palms.

"Marceline, don't worry about me. Stay with Ash, he's made out of awesome sauce," Hambo said in Ash's voice.

She glared at Ash and let out a low growl, before she snatched her suitcase that she'd hurled across the room and stomped her way to the door. She grabbed her guitar that was leaning against the fireplace and slung it over her shoulder. Her hand closed around the doorknob and she stopped dead in her tracks, quickly turning around to face Ash.

"Staying?" he asked with a smirk. "I'm not surprised. Now get in that kitchen and make me a sandwich."

Her hand tightened around the doorknob. "That wasn't his name," she said quietly, looking at Ash through tear-filled eyes.

He looked at her in confusion. "What?"

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "That wasn't his name. It wasn't Sam. His name was Simon."

He let out a cry of frustration, slumping against a wall. "Ugh, Mar-Mar, you're talking gibberish again. No one cares about the old guy that abandoned you when you were six. Sydney's probably dead now anyway, so you should - "

"HIS NAME _WAS SIMON_!" Marceline cried in rage, before ripping open the door and propelling herself down his rotting porch steps. She ignored calls of her name as she raced off into the night, lugging her suitcase and guitar behind her.

(*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*)

She stumbled upon the old fort hours later, sopping wet from the rain. She didn't know how she ended up at the old treehouse Ash and her had lived in years ago, back when he had been a funny guy that she happily spent her time with.

She kicked open the door and angrily threw her suitcase and bass onto the ground, slamming the door shut behind her. She stomped upstairs and looked around their old house, letting out a frustrated scream. How had she spent four years of her life on _him!?_

She growled in rage and started to stomp around the treehouse, pounding her fists against the bark of the tree and throwing her foot into the walls. She kicked, punched, hit, and screamed until her knuckles and toes throbbed. Finally, she collapsed on the ground in an exhausted heap, sobbing into her arms.

"Hambo," she whimpered, curling up inside herself. "Hambo." She knew she wasn't just upset because her childhood toy was lost. No. She was upset because Hambo was her last living proof of _him. _Hambo was the only thing she had to show that he had ever existed, that he had cared for her and had once been a kind, gentle old man, just trying to survive in an empty world.

But what proof did she have now? Did she really have anything to show that she had once been his only companion? That they had once cared for each other as if they were family? He didn't even remember her! How did she know that she didn't make it all up? What if it was just like those stories she used to tell herself before she went to sleep? How could she show herself that any of it had been real?

As she pondered these questions, choking on her own sobs, she realized she was exhausted. She hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks, having been too busy stealing food from a small village so Ash and her wouldn't starve.

Suddenly, the floor seemed as soft as a plush, silk pillow and her wet, tired eyes drooped lower with each dull tick of her watch. Finally, they fell shut and Marceline drifted into her subconscious, wondering what vicious nightmares would haunt her tonight.

** Hey guys! So yeah, that's the first chapter on my first Adventure Time fic! :) Hope you liked it! I love and cherish reviews, so please, please review! :)**

** Oh, and here are two quick things you should be aware of:**

**1. I'm not so good at updating, so I'm sorry if there are long waits for chapters. I'll try to update whenever I can, though :)**

**2. I live in Canada, so I've only seen up to the episode 'Paper Pete' in Adventure Time. (With the exception of 'I Remember You' which I've watched like three hundred times on youtube). So if I get some facts wrong that were mentioned in the show, it's because my country doesn't get episodes fast enough. Sorry. :(**

**Anyway, hoped you liked it, and again, please review! Bye! :)**

**- Gallifrey10**


	2. Colours of Childhood

She was barely three. She sat on the counter, sniffling and sobbing, dragging the back of her hand across her nose. Her arm stung and every time she felt the sharp pain throb, it reminded her of a red pulsing light, distant but still plenty irritating.

"It's okay, Marcy," her mother cooed, smoothing back the little girl's ragged black hair. She kissed her forehead. "It's all right."

Marceline shook her head, tears flying from her eyes. "No, it's not! It hurts!"

Her mother nodded, smiling at her sympathetically. "I know, Marcy. You're so brave. Look what I have for you!" She pulled a fluorescent blue Band-Aid from her pocket, and peeled it onto Marceline's arm. "There! Now you're all better!"

Marceline smiled slightly and let her mother take her off the counter and take her tiny hand in hers. "Shall we do some drawing?" her mother asked. Marceline nodded eagerly and skipped alongside her mother as they made their way to the playroom.

Marceline plopped down in her little plastic chair, quickly taking a green crayon from one of the supply boxes and scribbled excitedly on a fresh, blank piece of paper. Her mother sat down beside her and watched her, occasionally making a few marks in her sketchpad with a pencil that she'd snatched off her desk.

"Done!" Marceline cried excitedly. She grabbed the page off the table and waved it happily in her mother's face. "Look Mommy, look, see!? It's Daddy!"

Her mother regarded the mess of scribbles with a smile. "It's beautiful."

Marceline's eyes lit up and she grinned, hugging the paper against her chest. "I'm gonna draw a picture of you now! Then we can all be a family again!"

Her mother glanced sadly at her daughter. "That's a good idea," she noted with a strained smile. "I'm drawing you, so now all of us will be in the picture."

Marceline clapped her hands together excitedly. "Yeah!" She grabbed a red crayon from the box and eagerly started drawing a portrait of her mom. After a few silent minutes, Marceline spoke up. "Mommy?"

"Yes, Marcy?" her mother asked, not taking her eyes off her sketchpad.

"How come I have to get those stupid needles all the time?" she asked, rubbing her arm where the blue Band-Aid lay.

Her mother sighed and gave her daughter a leveled look. "Marcy, I've told you before; we can't have you getting sick. The fumes from the war are causing disease - I don't want you to get infected."

"Then how come you don't have to get one?" Marceline demanded stubbornly. She didn't get it. Every time she saw her mom get out the tattered, black briefcase from under the bed, she'd scream and dive for cover in the closet. She'd hide and cower in the midst of the coats, until her mom would haul open the door and drag her out, while she kicked and screamed. She'd beg and plead, then whine and cry, but every _stinking_ time, her mom would win the argument. It just wasn't fair!

"It's a twelve month vaccine. There's only enough for you."

Marceline crossed her arms. "Hmph," she muttered, looking up at her mother in frustration. "You can have it. I don't want any more needles."

Her mother smiled at her and opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the familiar sound of sirens. Marceline screamed and clamped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes shut tight. She _hated _the sirens. Every time they went off, she had to stay in that dark, damp vault for hours upon hours, waiting for what seemed like years until her mom would finally scoop her up and open the metal door.

She felt her mother's arms around her as she quickly picked her up, grabbed the briefcase, and ran. Marceline tried to shut her eyes tighter, tighter, tighter, wondering if it was possible for her eyes to fall out if she closed them long enough.

Tears leaked out of her eyes and into her mother's shoulder. Sometimes the sirens hurt more than the needles.

(*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*)

Marceline dipped her finger into the deep red paint, marveling at the brightness of the colour. She smiled, running her finger along the canvas and staining the clean white surface with a radiant streak of crimson.

She clapped her hands together in exuberance and eagerly pointed at her finger painting. "Mommy, Mommy, look! Look at my picture!"

Her mother came up behind her, a smile stretched across her face. She squeezed her daughter's shoulder. "That's beautiful, Marcy."

She giggled. "I know," she said proudly. "I like red. Red is my favourite colour in the whole world! It's so pretty!"

Her mother flashed her daughter a sad smile. "That was your father's favourite colour, too."

Marceline grinned. "Really? Think I got it from Daddy?"

Her mother ruffled her hair and plopped down beside her, taking her sketchpad from it's spot on the table. She grabbed the pencil that was tucked behind her ear and started sketching, looking up at Marceline every once in a while to make sure she drew every curve and blemish perfectly. "Probably," she answered after a moment of silence.

"When's Daddy coming back?" Marceline asked, not for the first time, as she examined her painting.

Her mother sighed, gently setting down her sketchpad, and taking her daughter's hands in hers. "Marcy, sweetheart, I've told you before - he's not coming back. He was never even - "

"But, Mommy, you said he cared!" Marceline pointed out, putting her hands on her hips. "You said that you two just needed a break, right?"

Her mother ran a hand through her tousled hair. "Marcy, it's complicated."

"But I'm smart!" she protested, crossing her arms and looking at her mother challengingly. "You said so! Just tell me what happened, you keep saying you will!"

Her mother let out a small laugh. Marceline frowned. She didn't see what was so funny. "I keep _saying_ I'll tell you when you're older," her mother corrected.

"But I _am _older!" Marceline protested, angrily stamping her foot into the ground.

"When you're much, _much _older," her mother said, smiling softly.

The little girl crossed her arms and glared at her mother, fed up with trying to talk to her Mommy about serious things. "You might not be around when I'm older," Marceline snapped. "Things keep happening. I have to take a bunch of yucky medicine and you get none. You're always tired and you barely ever play with me any more. You keep on telling me that people are going, but you won't tell me where. What - what if you go to?"

Her mother's eyes widened and she looked at her daughter in sadness and concern. "Marceline," she said, staring into her eyes. "I'm not going _anywhere_."

"You promise?"

Her mother lifted a hand and made an 'X' over her heart. "I promise."

Marceline smiled and turned away from her mother to look at her painting. The minute she left her mother's sight, her smile fell and she looked at her painting in worry. She dipped her hand into the jar of blue paint, making a wavy line across the canvas.

She trusted her Mommy not to lie to her. But sometimes she saw her Mommy cough up red and other times she would stumble around the house, looking like she could fall at any moment. Yes, she trusted her Mommy not to lie to her. But she didn't trust her Mommy not to lie to herself.

(*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*)

Marceline clamped her hands over her ears, the sirens echoing throughout the small house. She swear she felt the ground quaking beneath her feet. Had they ever been this loud?

"Marceline!" She opened her scrunched eyes to see her mother running towards her, looking terrified. "Marceline, get to the vault _NOW!"_

Tears leaked out of her eyes and she looked at her mother in shock. "W - what?" she stammered. "Why?" She hated the vault. Even when her Mommy was there with her, whispering comforting things in her ear, it still felt creepy and unwelcoming. And now she had to go down there alone?

"Just go!" her mother screeched. "You know the code! There's not enough time for me to come with you, they'd get there before the door would close! I have to stall them! _Just go!"_

"But Mommy!" Marceline screamed, trembling and shaking. Everything her mother was saying sounded like gibberish in Marceline's ears. How could she do this to her!? She'd never felt so scared! Why was Mommy yelling at her instead of trying to calm her down?

"They have a vault, I heard it!" screamed a rough, scratchy voice. "Get down there and search the place, dammit!" Marceline looked up at her mother in confusion. Who was that? She'd never heard someone sound so angry before. She swallowed, tears dribbling out of the corner of her eyes and trailing down her cheeks.

"Marceline," her mother pleaded, dropping to her knees in front of her daughter. She gripped her shoulders and brought her in for a tight hug. "Get down to the vault and lock it. Don't open it for anyone. Don't come out until you run out of food and water."

"But - but what about you?"

Her mother smoothed back her daughter's hair and planted a loving kiss on her forehead. She dragged the back of her hand across her nose and stared into Marceline's eyes. "Don't worry about me," she said, her voice trembling. "Just do as I say. Remember, don't open it for anyone, don't come out until you run out of food. Got it?" Marceline nodded and her mother gave her a weak smile. "Good. I love you, Marceline. Always remember that."

"I love you too, Mommy," Marceline said, smiling at her mother. It was then that two burly men and a straggly teenager appeared in front of them, one of them clutching a black, palm-sized object that Marceline had only once seen before, tucked away in the drawer of her mother's nightstand.

"Marceline, go now!" her mother screamed and Marceline did as she was told. She catapulted down the stairs, dashed across the uneven basement floor, and skidded to a stop as she reached the towering door of the vault. She swallowed. How was she supposed to go in there alone?

She shook her head and stood on her tippy-toes to reach the glowing keypad that rested beside the enormous metal door. She had to do what her Mommy said. She didn't know who those men were, but she was sure if she did what her mother had told her, they'd go away. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, the code her mother had spent hours teaching her flooding flawlessly back into her mind. _Eight seven six one two eight four seven one five nine six six zero seven three zero five nine nine nine four six three one two eight six three eight nine zero. _

The keypad glowed green and the familiar loud beep resonated throughout the empty basement as the metal door started to creak open. Marceline slipped inside and let out a scream as she heard four loud bangs echo from the room above her. Wasn't that where Mommy was?

She shook her head again. She had to focus. She punched in the exact same code on the opposite, unfriendly side of the vault wall and watched as the door slowly started to close, letting out loud beeps to warn people to get out of it's mechanical path.

She saw the three men trample down the stairs and rush at the closing door. Where was her Mommy? And how did the big man's shirt get so red? Her questions were left unanswered, as the door slammed shut just as the men reached it.

Marceline sighed and slid down the wall, hugging her knees against her chest. She couldn't hear the sirens anymore. The vault closed off all outside noise. All she could hear was the sound of her ragged breathing bouncing off the dark, cold metal walls. How long would she have to stay here, waiting for her mother to come get her? She hoped it wouldn't be long. She already felt like she'd been waiting an eternity.

As Marceline pondered this, she heard the most defining, horrifying, ear-splitting screech she'd ever heard. She slapped her hands over her ears and let out a scream. She had never heard anything from the outside when she was locked up in the vault. How had any sound managed to reach her ears?

Suddenly, Marceline felt herself being flung against the metal wall, her head slamming against the cold, hard steel. Before she could so much as cry out, her limp body feel against the floor and darkness crept over her. She welcomed it, feeling her tired eyes fall shut. She didn't know when her Mommy was coming to get her. But she was sure when she did, she would wake her.

Marceline let the darkness overwhelm her, leaving her in a dizzy state of her subconscious. She didn't worry. It would all be over soon.

It would all be over.

** Hi guys! Sorry for that depressingness, but, you know, it IS an angst fic. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that's the fastest I've ever updated a story, which is kind of sad, but I'm proud anyway! :D Anyway, I want to thank these amazing, wonderful people:**

**AdventureTime104201**

**genericperson**

**thisisagoodname**

**Because they reviewed like good little boys and girls ;) Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and please, please, review! I'll give you stickers if you do! (Not really, but if I did, they'd be REALLY pretty :D) Thanks again, guys!**

**Gallifrey101**

**PS: Question of the Day: If Justin Bieber ran into your house and DEMANDED that you help him defeat the aliens that wanted to destroy all of the world's otters, what would you do**


	3. Helpless

Her body ached. Every inch of her skin stung like needles and she felt as if someone had dropped a pound of bricks on her head. She felt worse than the time she'd tripped and tumbled down the stairs. Why did everything hurt so much?

Her eyes creaked open to the darkness of the vault. Had she fallen asleep in here?

Suddenly, everything came flooding back into Marceline's mind and she remembered locking herself in the vault as her mother had instructed. She smiled, despite the pain. Mommy was probably beside her, waiting for her to wake up so they could leave the metal room and go back into the comfort of their home.

But when she looked to her right, her mother wasn't there. Marceline's eyebrows knitted together in confusion and she looked to her left. She wasn't there either. "Mommy?" she asked softly, pushing herself up off the cold, metal floor.

The second she managed to stand upright, she went tumbling to the ground, letting out a hoarse cry. She hadn't realized that everything hurt that badly. What had happened after she'd closed the vault door?

Marceline squeezed her eyes shut, trying so hard to recall what had happened. Had she fallen asleep? Had she hit her head? Had someone attacked her? She frowned. She just couldn't remember. All she knew was that she'd closed the door and woken up with an aching body and blurry vision. What was going on?

She dragged herself across the metal floor with a grunt, making her way to the small storage of canned food and other necessities that her mother kept tucked away in the vault.

Her tiny hand wrapped around one of the flashlights and she flicked it on, flooding the dark vault with a stream of yellow light. She frowned as she moved her arm, the light sweeping over ever corner of the small, metal room. Mommy definitely wasn't in here. So where was she?

She shook her head, reaching into the storage bin and pulling out a tin of canned pears. She tried to forget her worries. Her Mommy would be here soon, she was sure of it.

Marceline used the can opener to open the container, remembering the way her mother had taught her time after time. After the lid popped open, she shoved her hand into the tin, her tiny fingers wrapping around the food inside. She eagerly shoved the pears into her mouth, one after another, not stopping. She hadn't realized she'd been this hungry. Her body hurt all over and now this? What was wrong with her?

She sighed as she managed to prop herself up to lean against the vault wall. She was still hungry. The inside of her stomach ached as if she hadn't eaten for days. She peered inside the storage compartment, licking her lips as she eyed the food and clean water. Her Mommy had said the food was just for emergencies - but she was hungry.

With sudden confidence, she shoved her hand inside and scooped out tins and tins of food. She grinned. It was time to feast.

(*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*)

Marceline sighed, playing with her hands idly. She'd fixed her hunger problem, but her body still hurt and her Mommy still hadn't come back. What was she to do?

She could look for her. Her Mommy _had _told her to stay in the vault until all the food was finished, but she was getting bored and worried. The metal cell was so small. She was sure her Mommy wouldn't mind if she went out for a walk.

Now all she had to do was get up.

It took time. She trembled and wobbled as she braced herself against the metal wall, picking herself up off the ground. Her legs shook as if they were an old artifact, ready to disintegrate and turn to dust. She was three years old - why was standing so hard!? She sucked in a deep breath, a look of determination clouding over her face. She had to walk. Her Mommy needed her. She _had_ to.

She took a wobbly step towards the door, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. It was painful and difficult, but she managed to make it to the vault door. Propping herself against the metal wall, she reached up and quickly punched in the code. She smiled as the door beeped in recognition. She was almost outside already! Her Mommy would be so proud of her.

The door swung open, causing the blinding light of the sun to shine down on her. She covered her eyes, squinting against the suddenly bright world. Finally, her eyes adjusted to the light and she took in her surroundings. And that's when she stumbled.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the world around her and a gasp escaped her lips. She tried to creep back into the vault, but her legs tangled together and she came crashing down, groaning as she hit the ground. What - what had happened!?

What had once been her basement was now rubble. Pieces of cracked wood were scattered along the ground and the normally concrete floor had been replaced by soil. There were no longer stairs, but a small hill of dirt leading up to the road. Where had the rest of her house gone!?

Marceline shook her head and pushed herself off the ground again, still wobbly. What was going on? How long had she been asleep for? And where was her Mommy? Wouldn't she have checked on her if the whole house disappeared?

She started towards the hill of dirt, digging her fingers into the soil and starting to climb. Her body ached and protested, but she was determined. She'd get out of the destroyed basement and find her Mommy. She would do the same for her.

She groaned as she finally collapsed on the road, blinking rapidly as the sun beat down on her. She could do this. All she had to do was walk and then her and her Mommy would be together. She was sure of it.

With a grunt, she pushed herself up off the ground and onto her shaking legs. Shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand, she examined her surroundings through blurry eyes and let out a gasp.

It wasn't just her house that was destroyed - everything in sight was either blown to pieces, cracked and mutilated, or a pile of ashes! Even the road underneath her feet was broken. And it wasn't just her street - when she looked off into the distance, she could still see the wreckage. Signs were crooked, bridges had collapsed, and the meadow down the road she used to play in was covered with remnants of the countless things that had been destroyed. Her lower lip trembled as tears brimmed her eyes. How was she supposed to find her Mommy in this mess?

She let out a sob as she numbly pushed herself up from the ground again, wrapping her arms around herself as she made her way down street after street after street. She was so tired. She didn't know why though. She'd just had a nap in the vault - why did she feel so exhausted?

Marceline turned onto another broken road, again seeing no one in sight. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her legs threatened to buckle underneath her. What if she never found her Mommy? What if she never found _anyone? _What if she was alone for the rest of her life, stumbling through the streets, lost and afraid? How would she survive all by herself?

With one last teetering step, her legs gave in and she collapsed in the middle of the broken road, curling up into herself as she cried. She couldn't do it. She couldn't go on. She was alone and afraid and didn't know what to do. How could her Mommy leave her? Couldn't she have at least told her where she was going? Had she really expected her to be able to function on her own?

With one last strangled sob, Marceline let her eyes fall shut, welcoming the darkness that swam over her. She just wanted to sleep. She just wanted it to be over.

Maybe, just maybe, if she closed her eyes, everything would be better when she woke up.

(*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#* #*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*)

Marceline's eyes flew open, a loud growling noise jolting her from her sleep. It reminded her of the dog her neighbour used to have. He had been friendly, until he started growling at her and running ramped through the streets. He always made his way back home - until one day when the neighbours came home with slouched shoulders and purple bags under their eyes. The dog was no where in sight.

When she'd asked where he'd ran off to, her Mommy had told her that most animals weren't reacting well to the war and radiation and had started to mutate. She hadn't understand what it meant and had wondered where the dog had gone. Her Mommy told her he went to live on a farm, where he'd get better and have nice, happy life. She wondered if he came back to visit his family.

She propped herself up on her elbows with a groan, to be met by the eyes of three large dogs. One brown, two black, but all with beady red eyes, scruffy fur, and white foam seeping through their teeth. Marceline's eyes widened. The neighbour's dog had never looked like _this._

"Hi," Marceline offered uneasily. "Are you looking for your owners? I'm looking for my Mommy. Maybe we can help each other."

The brown dog growled in response, slowly approaching her, with the other dogs at his side. It snarled and howled, it's teeth bared and lips curled back. Marceline gasped. It's mouth was filled with two rows of sharp, yellowed teeth, what seemed to be red paint leaking out the corners of it's mouth.

It was then her eyes shifted to the dog on the right and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It had something in his mouth, but she couldn't quite tell what it was. It looked like someone had dunked a gray rag into a bowl of red food colouring. What was it?

The dog shook it's head slightly, letting Marceline examine the rag at a better angle. Her eyes widened to the size of tennis balls as she finally realized what it was. She saw two beady black eyes and a mouth ripped open and red, with ears bitten and torn. A body ripped to shreds, insides leaking out onto the road with sickening, wet _plops_. There was only one thing it could be. It was the carcass of a rabbit.

That's when she screamed. She screamed and screamed and didn't stop screaming, even when the group of dogs advanced on her, snarling and growling. She curled herself into a ball, trying desperately to shield herself from the dogs. Was she going to die? Would she ever find her Mommy? Why hadn't she just stayed in the vault like she was told!?

Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. She'd disappointed everybody. She'd only been alone for less than a day and she was already in trouble. Her Mommy had probably expected her to stay where she was, to do what she was asked. But she hadn't. And now she would never see her Mommy again.

She shivered, an icy jolt that felt like lightning suddenly running through her body. When had it gotten so cold? She'd been taught that it didn't snow in August - how come she could feel wet flakes of snow falling onto her back?

Her wet eyes creaked open and she slowly took her head away from her knees. She looked at her soundings in shock. The ruined street was now covered in a thick blanket of snow, the dogs no where in sight. It hadn't been like this a few seconds ago.

"Sweetheart, are you all right?" a voice asked from her left. Marceline's head snapped in the direction of the voice and her dark eyes met a man's white ones.

He didn't look like most adults. He was tall, which was normal, but his skin was a soft blue. His hair was slightly grayed and ragged, white tuffs of stubble decorating his chin. He was wearing a dark suit with a red bow tie and had round glasses that rested on the tip of short but pointy nose.

Marceline swallowed a lump in her throat, her mouth as dry as sandpaper. "Who - who are you?" she managed to choke out.

The man smiled and kneeled down so he was at her height, sticking out his hand for a handshake. Marceline took it reluctantly, slowly grasping and shaking his hand. "Me? Well, my name is Simon Petrikov. And who might you be?"

** Yes, I'm leaving it there. Deal with it! :p Anyway, I know it took me five months to update - Jesus Christ - but I told you I'm terrible at updating stories! Don't say I didn't warn you! I hope you can forgive me and that you enjoyed this chapter. Also, I would like to thank these spectacular people:**

**InfernoLeo9**

**MegaFanaticFangirl104201**

**LeaxoftheUnderworld**

**Lupus4200**

**Because they reviewed and made me feel all happy inside :3 Thank you all so much for your support and please remember to review! I love you all!**

**Gallifrey101**

**QOTD: Would you rather eat a snake or a squirrel?**


End file.
